He called them bigots, not idiots

Transportation Commissioner Ted Houghton of El Paso, who jumped all over toll opponent Hank Gilbert at last week’s meeting to divvy up stimulus funds, today said he had settled the matter with Gilbert with a phone call.

“I took care of that with Mr. Gilbert last night,” Houghton said.

But to hear Gilbert tell it, things aren’t exactly smoothed over. The activist said he thanked Houghton for his call of apology but characterized it as a “pretty feeble attempt” and added that he thinks Houghton should resign from the commission.

Houghton said he called because he thought the better of his actions, before anyone asked him to do so.

Last week’s comments by Houghton were denounced in a letter from state Sen. Glenn Hegar Jr., R-Katy, who apparently thought Houghton had called Gilbert and his group, Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, “idiots.”

Hegar’s misunderstanding is understandable, since Houghton’s insult couldn’t be heard at the meeting and he declined to repeat it.

TURF’s Terri Hall said her group is using the video to fire up more support for House Bill 565 by Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, to replace the five member commission appointed by Gov. Rick Perry with a single elected commissioner.